A man convicted of two sexual assaults in Falkirk has been sentenced to four years in prison and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely, Stirling Sheriff Court heard on Monday.
Court finds attacks were targeted and predatory
Sheriff Keith O’Mahony, passing sentence, said the offences were “deliberate and predatory”, directed at young women who were alone and vulnerable as they walked home after nights out in the town centre. The sheriff imposed a 10‑year non-harassment order preventing the convicted man from contacting or approaching the victims.
“In my assessment, these (offences) were not a spontaneous act. These were deliberate and predatory sexual assaults against strangers who had every right to walk home in safety.”
The accused, identified in court as Muhammad Sheikhi, was found guilty by a jury at a trial in May. The assaults took place in the early hours of 30 November 2025. Prosecutors said both victims were in their early 20s and had been walking home alone after leaving nightclubs in Falkirk.
Where the incidents happened
Police evidence and witness accounts set out the sequence of events, which occurred within little more than an hour and close to the Cladhan Hotel, where the defendant had been accommodated by the Home Office.
- The first incident occurred beneath a railway bridge on Kerse Lane, where the woman was hugged, kissed and had Sheikhi’s hands put under her skirt.
- The second assault took place not far away at Bellsmeadow skate park, where the second victim was allegedly pinned against a tree and touched under her clothing.
- CCTV captured the defendant approaching a third woman in the town centre who managed to walk away unharmed; he was later arrested in a room at the Cladhan Hotel at about 6.25am that same morning.
| Time (approx.) | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| ~02:10 | Kerse Lane (railway bridge) | First woman assaulted after leaving nightclub |
| ~02:30 | Bellsmeadow skate park | Second woman assaulted while walking to a friend’s house |
| 06:25 | Cladhan Hotel room | Defendant arrested |
Defence account and background
The defendant maintained his innocence. His counsel told the court that he is a Syrian national who fled violence in his home country and has limited English. The defence said he had denied sexual contact with the victims. During police interviews, the defendant reportedly described himself as a young man out on the streets “looking for a good time”.
The Crown presented evidence that the accused had been roaming the town centre for several hours. Both prosecution and defence drew on CCTV and witness statements during the trial in May, which ended with a jury finding of guilty on the two counts of sexual assault.
Local context and immediate consequences
The incidents occurred on the same day that large pro‑ and anti‑immigration demonstrations were held around the Cladhan Hotel, which briefly brought heightened attention to the area. The sentencing will be of concern to residents and visitors who use the town centre at night, particularly students and young people who frequent the clubs mentioned in court.
Following sentence, the court imposed restrictions aimed at protecting the victims: an indefinite placement on the sex offenders register and a court order barring the defendant from contacting or approaching the two women for a decade. Those measures sit alongside the custodial term of four years.
The case was heard at Stirling Sheriff Court. Police Scotland led the investigation that resulted in the prosecution and subsequent convictions.
Local agencies and community groups have in recent years sought to reassure the public about safety on Falkirk’s streets at night; this sentence and the details of the assaults are likely to renew focus on measures to help people get home safely after evenings out.
Further reporting or official statements from Police Scotland, the Crown Office or local community safety partnerships may follow as the victims and services process the outcome of the trial.
